Tests show bird flu is H5N1 virus (England)

[spinbaby]

The European Commission says tests have confirmed that the avian flu which killed 2,600 turkeys at a Suffolk farm is the H5N1 virus.
That virus can be fatal if it is passed on to humans.

According to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, there were 160,000 other turkeys on the farm, and they will be slaughtered.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/suffolk/6327193.stm

[Greeby]

1. Eep

:scared:

[LeftishBrit]

2. Scary...

[Maddy McCall]

3. Only a matter of time for N. America.

[onecent]

4. ooooooo.....scarey scarey...just like SARS and and Y2K....scarey

[file83]

5. Why are scientists so convinced this bird flu will mutate into a human form?

Has it happened before?

If that never happens, what's the big threat to humans, seriously? None, except maybe no Turkey for Thanksgiving...

Or am I just being ignorant?

[spinbaby]

6. My understanding of the matter

If I understand this correctly, H5N1 is extremely infectious and lethal to birds. Humans don't catch it very easily, but it's fairly lethal if they do catch it. Viruses mutate easil, so the fear seems to be that H5N1 will meet up with a human variety of the flu in some friendly host and that they'll have a hot ol' time exchanging RNA, resulting in a flu that's exremely infectious AND lethal to humans.

[Skarbrowe]

7. UH, didn't they find out that the deadly 1918 flu epidemic was from

bird flu? I remember reading about the H5 or H1 numbers, but that's about all I can remember at the moment. Should have checked the internets (gulp) first. Sorry.

[uppityperson]

8. k&r